Bonded doffer for mechanical cotton pickers



Oct. 6, 1953 H. F. PARKERTON 2,654,203

BoNoEn noF'FER Foa MECHANIQAL com-Tou PIcxEas med Feb. 17, 1951 1 15a i14a 60- I N VEN TOR.

BY Y @2 Patented Oct. 6, 1953 BONDED DOFFER FOR MECHANICAL COTTONPICKERS Howard F. Parkerton, South Gate, Calif., assignor toInternational Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationFebruary 17, 1951, Serial No. 211,471

5 Claims.

This invention has to do with doffers for removing cotton from thepicker spindles of cotton picking machines and more particularlyconcerns improvements in the means and method forsecuringspindle-engaging doffer pads onto a carrier thereforconstituting elements of the doifer assembly.

A doffer assembly of the general character as that embodying the presentinvention, together with environment for such assembly, is disclosed inU. S. Patent 2,247,632. The doffer assembly shown in said patentcomprises a metal disk having an annulus of rubber-like material securedto a face thereof by clamping elements. The rubber annulus includes aplurality of lug-like dofng pads projecting therefrom axially of thedisk and spaced apart circumferentially thereof. These doling pads arealso of rubber and formed integrally with the rubber annulus, the lugsbeing pliable and resilient to facilitate their wiping engagement withthe picker machine spindles to strip the cotton therefrom withoutinjuring such spindles. To assure firm mounting of the rubber annulusupon the metal disk, such disk has been provided with projectionsrespectively registering seen as a point in Fig. 1.

with the back sides of the doing pads and projecting into nestingrelation with cavities therein. Because of these metal projections intothe pads they form limits beyond which the tips of the lugs cannot beworn away by abrasion during operation of the cotton picking machine,since it is essential that only the rubber-like material engage thespindles. An important object of this invention is the provision of anovel means and method for securing the doier pads to the disk Withoutthe use of metal or hard material projections extending thereinto,whereby4 the pads can be worn away by the spindles to a greater extentand correspondingly decrease the frequency of doffer assembly servicing.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an attachingmeans whereby the doiiing pads or a web with which they are integrallyformed are attached directly to the carrier therefor by adhesion. Thismethod of fabricating the doler assembly diminishes weight in so far asclamping devices for securing the lugs to the plates are eliminated.Elimination of the clamping devices is also a factor contributing todiminution in production cost of these improvedY doffei assemblies.

These and other desirable objects inher nt in and encompassed by theinvention will be more clearly understood from the ensuing description,

the appended claims and the annexeddrawings,

wherein:

Y Fig. 1 is an end View of a doffer assembly constructed in accordancewith this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2 2of Fig. l, illustrating the means by which a rubber-like or elastomerunit embodying dofng pads is fabricated to a rigidk disk unit of theassembly.

Fig. 3 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 1, illustrating a modied formof the invention which eliminates anchoring studs on the reverse face ofthe elastomer unit.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4--4of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view taken similarly to Figs. 1 and 3, showing a third formof the invention wherein the elasomer doing pads are discrete elementsindividually adhesively secured to the rigid plate carrier therefor.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on line 6-6 ofFig. 5.

With continued reference to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and2, there can be seen a disk-like carrier unit II having a hub I2 andformed symmetrically about a principal axis a During operation of theentire doffer assembly I3 it is caused to rotate about the axis a.

The disk-like unit II has an annular face I4 disposed substantiallywithin a plane at right angles to the axis a and arranged coaxiallytherewith. This annular face I4 constitutes one side of a flat annularrim portion I5 containing a plurality of holes I6 communicating throughthe face i4 and spaced apart circumferentially of the unit II as shownin Fig. 1. An annular shoulder I1 which borders the inner perimeter ofthe annular face I4 projects axially of the disk-like unit from suchface.

Anintegral unit I8 of elastomer material comprises an annular wafer-likeweb I9 having an obverse face ZI and a reverse face 22 conformving tothe annular face I4 of the disk-like unit I I. Anchoring studs 23project from the reverse face 22 respectively into the plate holes I6.The innerperimetric edge 24 ofthe web I9 rests against the shoulder I'Iwhereas a circular ange 25 of the web I9 extends along the outerperimetric edge thereof and projects axially of the plate I I from thereverse face of such web in contiguity With the outer perimetric edge 26of the plate. A plurality of doihng lugs or pads 21 project axially fromthe obverse face 2i of the customer unit la.

The elastomer unit I8 may be formed of natural rubber, syntheticrubber-like material, or a blend of these two materials. The materialfrom which the unit I8 is made preferably possesses the characteristicof soft vulcanized rubber having a resistance to displacement andelasticity proximating that of tread projections on conventionalautomobile tires. This material is vulcanizable and is attached to theface I4, the shoulder I'I, the perimeter 26 and the circular edges aboutthe openings IB by being pressed thereagainst while in an unvulcanizedvcondition pursuant to being molded tu form thelwebil 9, studs-,23and-'thefpads 21. Whilfthe plastici unvulcani'zed material is held inthis molded formation, heat is applied thereto for producing thevulcanized condition at'- tendant to which an adhesive bond is electedwith the surfaces I4, I'I, 26 andZthe" rims: of' the openings I6.

The shoulder II provides-a` definite.; molding. edge for the innerperipheryl'of the@A elastomer'.- web I9 to expedite the forming of theinner periphery of the web neatly and accurately. Furthermore, theshoulder I'I provides a guard for" the inner edge of the web therebypreventingentry of any foreign object' between the web and diskssurface: 14, andravoiding commencement. of separation and: peeling atthis section. The elastomer flange 25 cireumscribing the. outerperiphery of the disk provides; a resilient guard aindtrim: for theouter rim` ci the assembly I3-y and= because Otfbeingadhesivelyattached'to the periphery 2e resists separation-ofr theouterperipheralpertion oaf the elastomer web from`v the disk face I4.Anchoring studs 23 are capable of absorbingA shearingforce .againsttheedges ofthe openings mand-thereby supplementthe adhesiveconnectionbetween they web. and the faceA I4 in resisting sliding..ofthe webupon said face.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3.and aparts.corresponding to those in the Figs. land 2 embodiment-are` designated bythe' same respective reference Vcharacters plus the suix a. Intliisfiorm of the invention thereA are no holes in theannular.rimiportion Ia of the plate-like unit I'Ia` and'. consistent with thisarrangement there are no studsvon the reverse face oi the elastomer' webtifa. Prior to molding andpressing the elastomer' unit Ida onto theplate-like carrier unit, the shoulder Ila, the annularvface Maandtheouter periphery 26d are'covered with a thin"V lm 3l of vulcanizableVrubber cement. l'wluliberk cementsA of suitable characterare'v-commercially" producedat many sources; a typical cementbeings'old'under the trade-name Plastiloclr`by Tlhe B; F." GoodrichCompanyof Akron, Ohio; This'lin-ii' Vis vulcanizedpursuant tovulcanization of the vuleanizable unit ISafand'becomes attached to'suchunit- I!!l and'to the surfaces Ila, I-'Iiz' and 26a to form avulcaniaedadhesion between the opposed contiguousfaces of tlie unitsIIaand. I8`a; When the assembly process'involves-.usefand'vulcanizationv off the nlm SI1 the; elastomer unit Iamay bepreformedfand vulcanized. prior tof assembly with` such' i'lmandthe'unit:y Ila; When attaching themolde'd unvulcanizedunit I8;P Figs. 1andZj to the carrier unit: Il.,L4 thati pcrtion oi the: unit i8@contiguous with. the'surfaces'- ofthe. unit Iii in opposed: relationtltierir/vith', in'becomi'ng vulcanized and attachedto. these: opposedsurfaces, constitutes a vulcanized means forv establishing an adhesionbetween the units IBand II'.

Referring nov/f to thethird'embodiment; of the invention'illustrated'invFigs. 5 and', the cloffer padsy 251e have been attached directly tothe annular plate surface I4c byvulcanization. A vuloanized film;A3-Ic,y employed like the film .''I' in FigsnSfa-nd 4- embodiment, isillustratedin Fig. 6 asan expedient for securing the' pads 21e to theplate carrier surface I 4c. It is contemplated', hou/"ever, thatthedoling pads Z'I will be molded into-form from vulcanizahl-e elastomermaterial and'pressed'v directly against the plate surface Mic where-avulcanized' adhesion is formed pursuant tolthe application of'heatfandpressure to andbetween the;` parts.. I`5c: and. 27e.

4 Having thus.- described a; limited' number of embodimentsoff theinventioni with the? View of clearly and concisely illustrating thesame, I claim:

l. A doiier assembly comprising a plate-like unit for rotation about aprincipal axis thereof, saidi'unit having an annular face thereondisposed substantially-Within a plane at right angles to saidaxisandfcoaxial therewith, there being holes insaillunitlinfregistry withsaid face; an integral unit otelastomermaterial comprising an annularWafer-like' web having an obverse face and a reversefface congruent withand disposed in fiat- Wise contiguity with said face of the plate-likeunitffa plurality-'otlugsfprojecting axially from said. obverse faceand: spacedapart;v circumferentially thereof,l and anchoring. studs.projecting from y the .reverse face. respectivelyinto saidflolesg andmeans adhesively joining said-opposed faces throughoutltheir area of,`opposedcontiguity.

2. A doiTer assembly comprising a plate-like unitfor rotation aboutaprincipal axis thereof',l said unit having an annular face, disposedlsubstantially within a plane at right. anglesto said axis and coaxialtherewitliy andla shoulder projectingaxially. endwise of .theunit" alongthe inner perimeter of such annular face; an integral unit of elastomermaterial. comprisingn ali' an'n'ula'r wafer-like web-having.` anobversefa'ceanda reversevface conforming to the annular` facev o'fltli'eplate-like unit', andl'a pluralt'yof lugs projecting axially fromY saidobverse face` and spaced' apart circumferentially thereof, the in'ner'perimetric edge ofv said' web lying; against saidslioulder; said reversefaceV being in opposed'contiguitywith the annular face of the plate-likeunit", andt means adhesively joining saidopposed' faces throughout theirarea of opposed contiguity.

3; The combination` set' forth in-claim :Zfwliere inacircular iiangeWextends along' the outer perimetric' edgeof said web and projects`axially of theV plate from the'reverse faceofthe web-ihcontiguity-W-ith'the outer perimetricl edgeofthe plate-like unit.

4i Thefcombin'ationset forth inc'laimZ wherein theplate-lilre-unitcontains holes arrangedl in af-cir'cle about said axis andv in registrywith' the annular face ofthe plate-like unit,` andwherein the Vunito'felastomer' material includes anchoring studs@ projecting. from the:reverse1 face thereof respectivelyconforming tosaid holes' and' pro'-jecting thereinto. Y

5.. Theco'mbinatio'n set forthinclim-:Zwlierein ai circular ilangeextendsalong the outer perimetric edge of said Webb andi projectsaxiallyof: the plate from the. reversek face of." the web agamst-theouter'perimetric edge off the: plate'- like unit, wherein theplate-likeunit'- contains holes arranged in a circle; about said axis and' inregistry with the annular face of the plate-like unit, andwhereintheunit' of elastomer material includes anchoring studs proiecting` from:tharee verse face 'thereoff respectively' conforming' to `said holes andprojecting thereinto.

HOWARDF. PARKERTGN'.

References Cited in the file of5 this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS.

Number NameY Date 1,588,008 Billdette JUIIQS, 19246 1,949,823 BroeckerMar.' (if 1934 2,031g907'l Johnston Mai'. 24', 1936 2,247,682- HlgenJllly l; 1941i 2247,686 JHIIS'OITI` Jlfy 1, 15.41 2,462,800 Berry Eeb;22j 1949V

